


Calcination

by Grete



Series: The Great Work [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Epic, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 23:35:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11172435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grete/pseuds/Grete
Summary: Edward and Alphonse Elric have traveled West in search of the Philosopher's Stone. Arriving in a small mining town, things proceed as they usually do- no stone, no leads, no further in their search than before they started. There is one thing that's different, though- that phone that keeps ringing, and the hushed voice on the line, always asking,"Do you know where your family is?"





	Calcination

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my first work of fanfiction. I've been thinking about this fic for almost 20 years in different iterations, in different fandoms, sometimes outside of fandom as an original work. I've decided to set it in FMA, as for the past 7-8 years since I watched the original anime for the first time, I haven't been able to truly separate the story from these characters. 
> 
> So far I have over 100k words written to this series, and it will be very long. As it covers many years of our beloved characters' lives, the friendships and relationships will change- so please don't be alarmed when they do so. In the end this will be RoyEd, but I love Winry, so you won't find any negative feelings for her here. 
> 
> This is a partial AU, that begins at an unspecified time just before Mustang finds out that there is trouble in Liore related to Ed's previous assignments there. It is based partly on each anime and I am currently reading the manga, so things from there might be incorporated as well. Nothing is off-limits, and expect to see the rich cast of characters from FMAB and the richer emotional components of FMA. I hope I can do them both justice.
> 
> Consider this 'chapter' as more of a prologue. The ones to follow will be much longer- I needed the motivation to finally post. Please enjoy, and any comments are welcome- I will respond.

“Ugh, this place is in the middle of nowhere. Who the hell decided to come settle in Bauqey?”

“I think it’s like home, brother. Look at all the little farms. I bet it’s really green in the Spring.” The brothers walked along an elevated ridge beside the irrigation canal, leaves and twigs crunching under their feet.

“Are you kidding, Al? This is nothing like home! It took us two hours to get directions to this stupid place. These people are awful.” He kicked a rock into the water, and it made a satisfying splash.

Al rolled his eyes on the inside, and leaned over conspiratorially. “I think you’re just upset because you got us lost the first time.”

“Yeah, well I think you should stop thinking. Don’t hurt yourself.”

Alphonse sighed. Did every younger brother have to put up with this?

—

“We made it!”

“Yeah, this is awesome. There’s the house right there.” Ed jogged ahead a few paces. It was an old farmhouse with peeling yellow paint. At some point, someone had probably taken care of it. The trim was painted two different colors of blue, and the stairs as well, with blue treads and yellow backs. There were some raised garden beds around the side that had overgrown and died down over the summer- but they had obviously been cared for at the beginning, or nothing would have grown. The vines were trained to climb a trellis; the tomatoes had cages to keep them safe from the wind and from falling under their own weight.

“Huh, no smoke,” Ed stopped, “No firewood outside either.”

“And one of his upstairs windows is open, too.” Alphonse added. “Even with the heat wave, I don’t think he’d keep a window open. It’s still too cold for that.” He drew up beside his brother. _I wonder what happened here. It’s the middle of December, who wouldn’t have a stack of firewood prepared?_ The pallet next to the porch was empty. “What’s he going to do if it decides to snow next week?”

“None of this looks right. There’s something off about this place.” Ed echoed his thoughts. “Let’s check it out. But be careful, Al.”

Alphonse nodded as they started creeping toward the house. It occurred to him that something about this place felt strange, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. They made it to the crushed gravel path that led up to the porch and slowed a bit, looking at how close the house was, with all of its windows that someone could be watching from. They stopped as they reached the porch, and Ed lifted up his foot to place it on the stair. He set it on the first tread and began to sigh in relief, when-

_CREEEEA_ the stair gave out a painfully loud wail.

Both brothers froze, waiting for someone to yell, shoot, or transmute, but nothing happened. They waited, and seconds later no one had come to check on the noise.

“Brother, I don’t think there’s anyone here.” They glanced at one another and walked up the steps together.

“Yeah, guess we’ll just head in- nobody could’ve missed that announcement. Louder than a doorbell, that’s for sure! It must be empty.” He reached out his hand for the screen door and tugged on it gently. “Come on, Al. Let’s check it out.”

The hallway was dim, and Al would wager quite a bit that the house had no electricity. He wasn’t quite sure what self-respecting alchemist wouldn’t have an array by the door for some light, just to get a gas lamp lit. _Well to each their own_ , he supposed. At least it was still early enough in the day that they had light.

The air was oppressive inside the hall and in the living room beyond it. The faded Xingan carpet had a layer of dust caked into it, obscuring the pattern. All signs showed that the house had been empty for some time.

Ed led the way into the kitchen while Al perused in the living area- “Brother, it looks like all the books are gone…” Every shelf along the wall near the stairs was empty.

“Urgh,” Ed swept a hand across his mouth as he reentered from the kitchen, “Don’t go in there. Dinner’s on the table and he had produce in the sink. It’s all rotting.” Alphonse, listening carefully, could hear the steady whine of flies. “I’m going to check upstairs,” he continued, “but this place feels deserted. Another fucking disappointment. Why am I even surprised?” He kicked a dust bunny on his way to the stairs.

The search turned up nothing, and they made to leave. “Guess we’ll just have to tell Mustang there was nothing here- that jerk probably knew that already and was just trying to get rid of us for a while. _Have to get you out from UNDER foot, Fullmetal. Can’t have you mousing around Central._ Smaller than a mouse, I’ll show him-”

“Brother-” Al interrupted, “Let’s go check out that cellar door over there.” He pointed to a door sunken into the field next to the house, useful during the summer storm season.

“Hey, good idea, Al! Every crackpot alchemist we’ve ever met keeps his notes underground, right? Even the old man!”

Alphonse found himself rolling his eyes internally more and more often these days.


End file.
